Ergonomics plays an essential role in creating a healthy and productive workplace. Besides the right furniture and good posture, lighting is an important factor that is often overlooked. Good workplace lighting has numerous benefits, including reducing eye strain, improving concentration and promoting a comfortable working environment.
How lighting affects your biorhythm
Lighting not only allows us to see better, but it also makes our body function better. This is because light stimulates our biorhythms. And this, in turn, affects our eating pattern, body temperature, mood, learning performance and sleep pattern. When there is enough light, we sleep more comfortably at night and feel a lot better during the day!
Too little light causes a whole range of complaints. These include sleeping disorders, concentration problems, depression and other health complaints. Some people even suffer from winter depression during the darker months of the year.
How does lighting affect productivity and safety?
Adequate lighting in the workplace is essential. When this is not in order, dangerous situations arise. Think of dark staircases, paths or equipment and machines that are poorly lit. Lighting also has a major impact on productivity. Especially when so-called ‘cold’ light is used. Cold light increases productivity because it is very similar to daylight. And we work harder in normal daylight.
The impact of lighting on ergonomics
Good lighting is crucial for workplace ergonomics. Insufficient or incorrect lighting can lead to eye strain, headaches, impaired concentration and even physical complaints. Too bright light can cause glare, while too little light can cause eye strain. Moreover, uneven distribution of light can create shadows and glare, making it difficult to perform tasks accurately. Investing in good lighting can prevent these problems and make the working environment more ergonomic.
The benefits of good workplace lighting
Optimising workplace lighting has many benefits for ergonomics and employee well-being. Some key benefits include:
- Reduction of eye fatigue and headaches
- Improved concentration and productivity
- Promotion of a comfortable and pleasant working environment
- Reduction of errors and accidents due to poor visibility
Tips to improve lighting in your office
- Make sure that both quantity and colour are sufficiently evenly distributed.
- Remember that daylight is also very natural lighting. It is also very important that there is enough daylight in the office.
- Always follow the standards set by the NEN norms and Working Conditions Act.
